Cease Human Rights Abuses, Humanitarian Violations in Northern Mali

Text States Readiness to Consider Requests for International Military Force

With the humanitarian crisis in Mali deteriorating rapidly, the Security Council today adopted a resolution demanding that all armed groups cease human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law, including targeted attacks against civilians, sexual violence, the recruitment of child soldiers and forced displacements.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2071 (2012), the 15-member body declared its readiness to respond to Mali’s request for an international military force, pending receipt of the Secretary-General’s report and recommendations on the situation. It also took note of the country’s requests to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for military assistance, and requested the Secretary-General immediately to provide military and security planners to assist joint ECOWAS and African Union planning efforts.

The Council expressed its grave concern over the consequences of instability in northern Mali on the region and beyond, the continuing deterioration of the security and humanitarian situations and the increasing entrenchment of terrorist elements, including Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, affiliated and other extremist groups. It called upon Malian rebel groups to severe all ties to terrorist organizations, notably Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, and expressed its readiness to impose targeted sanctions on those that failed to do so.

It also called upon Member States, regional and international organizations to provide coordination support to regional and international preparation efforts, including through military training and the provision of equipment and other assistance in efforts to combat terrorist and affiliated extremist groups, and to provide assistance to Mali’s armed and security forces as soon as possible in order to restore the State’s authority over its entire national territory.

Following the Council’s action, Mali’s representative said: “We dare to hope that the results of this meeting will strengthen efforts already under way,” noting that a decisive phase had been completed, following recent key developments that had seen the installation of a National Unity Government to manage the crisis in the north and plans to hold elections. The resolution’s unanimous adoption was another important phase, he said, underscoring the importance and urgent need to deploy an international force in support of efforts by Mali’s security forces to restore the country’s territorial integrity and restore human rights in the occupied north. He reaffirmed his country’s full willingness to cooperate with the Security Council, ECOWAS, the African Union and the European Union in implementing the resolution.

Speaking on behalf of ECOWAS, the representative of Côte d’Ivoire expressed concern over the rapid deterioration in the north, as Malians fled the country and suffered internal displacement. The international community should not allow the situation to fester, he emphasized. Current mediation efforts led by the President of Burkina Faso deserved international support, he added, saying that a negotiated political solution and democratic elections would go “hand-in-hand” in restoring Mali’s territorial integrity. “The clock is ticking and every day that passes brings more suffering to the people trapped by the terrorists,” he said. “The resolution is timely and opens the door to the next resolution for action. Inaction is no longer an option.”

The meeting began at 3:11 p.m. and ended at 3:34 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 2071 (2012) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its resolution 2056 (2012), its presidential statements of 26 March 2012 (S/PRST/2012/7), 4 April 2012 (S/PRST/2012/9) as well as its press statements on Mali and the Sahel of 22 March 2012, 9 April 2012, 18 June 2012, 10 August 2012 and 21 September 2012,

“Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Mali,

“Reiterating its serious concern about the insecurity and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Sahel region, which is further complicated by the presence of armed and terrorist groups and their activities, as well as by the proliferation of weapons, from within and outside the region, and expressing its grave concern about the consequences of instability in the north of Mali on the region and beyond, and stressing the need to respond swiftly in order to preserve stability across the Sahel region,

“Reiterating its grave concern about the continuing deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the north of Mali, the increasing entrenchment of terrorist elements including Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), affiliated groups and other extremist groups, and its consequences for the countries of the Sahel and beyond,

“Stressing the primary responsibility of the Malian authorities for ensuring the security and unity in its territory and protecting its civilians with respect for international humanitarian law, the rule of law and human rights and emphasizing that any sustainable solution to the crisis in Mali should be Malian-led,

“Expressing serious concerns about criminal groups activities in the north of Mali and recognizing the urgent need for enhanced cooperation and coordination between the Malian authorities, neighbouring countries and countries of the region, in collaboration with relevant United Nations entities, regional and international organizations as well as bilateral partners, in order to tackle transnational organized crime, including illicit activities such as drug trafficking,

“Encouraging the international community to provide support to resolve the crisis in Mali through coordinated actions for immediate and long-term needs, encompassing security, development and humanitarian issues,

“Taking note of the letter of the Transitional authorities of Mali dated 1 September 2012 to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) requesting military assistance to reorganize the Armed Forces of Mali and restore the territorial integrity of Mali, of which the north is occupied by terrorist groups, and combat terrorism,

“Taking note of the letter of the Transitional authorities of Mali dated 23 September 2012 to ECOWAS on the conditions for the deployment of ECOWAS troops in Mali and underscoring the importance of addressing the actions outlined therein,

“Taking note of the letter of the Transitional authorities of Mali dated 18 September 2012 addressed to the Secretary-General, requesting the authorization of deployment through a Security Council resolution of an international military force to assist the Armed Forces of Mali acting under Chapter VII as provided by the United Nations Charter, to recover the occupied regions in the north of Mali;

“Taking note of the ECOWAS letter of 28 September 2012 addressed to the Secretary-General requesting a Security Council resolution authorizing the deployment of a stabilization force in Mali under a Chapter VII mandate of the United Nations Charter and further taking note of the ECOWAS letter of 28 September 2012 addressed to the African Union to engage with the African Union on fine-tuning the concept, modalities, and means of the deployment of a stabilization force in Mali,

“Recognizing the efforts and the leadership of ECOWAS, in coordination with the African Union, on the Malian crisis, as well as the important role played by the United Nations, other regional and international organizations, neighbouring states, countries of the region and bilateral partners in the resolution of the crisis in Mali, and in this regard calling for continued coordination,

“Looking forward to the meeting of the Support and Follow-up Group on Mali, convened by the African Union in consultation with the United Nations and ECOWAS, in Bamako on 19 October 2012, which aims to clarify the modalities of international support to the Malian Transitional authorities in solving the crisis in the north of Mali,

“Condemning strongly the abuses of human rights committed in the north of Mali by armed rebels, terrorist and other extremist groups, including violence against its civilians, notably women and children, killings, hostage-taking, pillaging, theft, destruction of cultural and religious sites and recruitment of child soldiers, stressing that some of such acts may amount to crimes under the Rome Statute and that their perpetrators must be held accountable and noting that the Transitional authorities of Mali referred the situation in the north of Mali since January 2012 to the International Criminal Court on 18 July 2012,

“Acknowledging the steps taken by Mali, including by the signing on 6 April 2012 of a Framework Agreement under the auspices of ECOWAS, towards developing a road map for the restoration of constitutional order, an inclusive national dialogue and the organization of free, transparent, and fair presidential elections within twelve months of the signing of the Framework Agreement,

“Determining that the situation in Mali constitutes a threat to international peace and security,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1. Welcomes the appointment of a Government of National Unity in Mali, expresses its support to the work of the Interim president of Mali, Dioncounda Traoré and urges the Transitional authorities in Mali to present a detailed road map for transition with concrete steps and timelines and to accelerate efforts towards the strengthening of democratic institutions and the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Mali through the holding of timely, peaceful, inclusive and credible elections by the end of the transition;

“2. Reiterates its demand that no member of the Malian Armed Forces should interfere in the work of the Transitional authorities, takes note of the decisions and recommendation by ECOWAS to adopt targeted sanctions in Mali and expresses its readiness to consider appropriate measures as necessary;

“3. Calls upon Malian rebel groups to cut off all ties to terrorist organizations, notably AQIM and affiliated groups, and expresses its readiness to adopt targeted sanctions against those rebel groups who do not cut off all ties to terrorist organizations, including AQIM and affiliated groups, recalls paragraphs 20 and 24 of resolution 2056 (2012) and further decides that the 1267/1989 Committee shall take decisions on requests of Member States to add to the Al-Qaida sanctions list names of individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities in Mali that are associated with Al-Qaida, in accordance with resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011);

“4. Urges the Transitional authorities of Mali, the Malian rebel groups and legitimate representatives of the local population in the north of Mali, to engage, as soon as possible, in a credible negotiation process in order to seek a sustainable political solution, mindful of the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Mali and requests the Secretary-General, as well as neighbouring countries, countries of the region, international and regional organizations and other bilateral partners, to support this Malian political process;

“5. Demands that all groups in the north of Mali cease all abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including targeted attacks against the civilian population, sexual violence, recruitments of child soldiers and forced displacements, and recalls in this regard all its relevant resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, on Children and armed conflicts and on Protection of civilians in armed conflicts;

“6. Declares its readiness, upon receiving the Secretary-General’s report referred to in paragraph 7 below, to respond to the request of the Transitional authorities of Mali regarding an international military force assisting the Malian Armed Forces in recovering the occupied regions in the north of Mali;

“7. Requests the Secretary-General to immediately provide military and security planners to assist ECOWAS and the African Union, in close consultation with Mali, the neighbouring countries of Mali, countries of the region and all other interested bilateral partners and international organizations, in the joint planning efforts to respond to the request of the Transitional authorities of Mali for such an international military force, and further requests the Secretary-General, in close consultation with the above-mentioned partners, to submit, no later than forty-five days after the adoption of this resolution, a written report on the implementation of this resolution, including support provided under paragraph 4 and this paragraph, and detailed and actionable recommendations to respond to the request of the Transitional authorities of Mali regarding an international military force, including means and modalities of the envisaged deployment, in particular the concept of operations, force generation capabilities strength and support financial costs;

“8. Calls upon the Transitional authorities of Mali to take immediately all the appropriate measures to facilitate the regional and international preparation efforts taken in relation with the objective outlined in paragraph 6 above, calls upon Member States, regional and international organizations, to provide coordinated support to these regional and international preparation efforts, including through military training, provision of equipment and other forms of assistance in efforts to combat terrorist and affiliated extremist groups, and further invites those Member States and organizations to inform the Secretary-General of their contributions;

“9. Calls upon, in this context, Member States, regional and international organizations, including the African Union and the European Union, to provide as soon as possible coordinated assistance, expertise, training and capacity-building support to the Armed and Security Forces of Mali, consistent with their domestic requirements, in order to restore the authority of the State of Mali over its entire national territory, to uphold the unity and territorial integrity of Mali and to reduce the threat posed by AQIM and affiliated groups;

“10. Welcomes the appointment by the Secretary-General of a Special Envoy for the Sahel, who should mobilize international efforts for the Sahel, coordinate the implementation of the United Nations integrated strategy on the Sahel and engage actively in defining the parameters of a comprehensive solution to the Malian crisis;

“11. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record

For information media. Not an official record.

Search

Daily Noon Briefing

The Secretary-General condemned today’s murder of a Palestinian child in the West Bank and called for the perpetrators of that terrorist act to be promptly brought to justice. He expressed his deepest condolences to the family of Ali Dawabsha, who were themselves severely injured in the arson attack. He urged both sides to take bold steps to return to the path of peace.